I’ve been living in Sarajevo for five years and have experience my fair share of grey, rainy days. Whether it’s drizzling or pouring with rain, here’s an itinerary featuring the best things to do in Sarajevo when it’s raining. It’s exactly how I’d spend my time with my friends when they come to visit.
So you're in Sarajevo but it's raining so all your beautiful plans for the day aren't working out? Don't worry, there are still plenty of things you can do, even when it's no day for activities like hiking or exploring the city's outdoor sights.
I'll walk you through how I would spend the perfect day if I had friends over visiting and will give you a couple more options at the end of the article so you can pick and choose.
So you're in Sarajevo but it's raining so all your beautiful plans for the day aren't working out? Don't worry, there are still plenty of things you can do, even when it's no day for activities like hiking or exploring the city's outdoor sights.
I'll walk you through how I would spend the perfect day if I had friends over visiting and will give you a couple more options at the end of the article so you can pick and choose.
So let's dive right in.
Grab a cosy breakfast
Fuel up for the day in one of my favourite breakfast places: habitus. Even on a rainy day, the space inside is cosy with colourful art and couches, and you can get a proper soulfood breakfast like french toast, philly cheese sandwich or eggs with avocado brioche. It's comfy enough to even bring a book and stay for a second cup of coffee.
If you're looking for a more Bosnian style breakfast, you can head over to Mrvica by the Sacred Heart Cathedral with its different breakfast platters, a Bosnian-style one among others.
Take the tram to the National Museum
After breakfast, take the tram to the National Museum of Bosnia and Herzegovina . You can easily spend two hours or so here, wandering through the various exhibitions and eras of Bosnia, from the days of the Bosnian kingdom to Austrian times.
From here, you can head to Café Tito, an old Sarajevo-favourite and a place stuffed with Tito memorabilia and old tanks. If that doesn't sound like something you'd enjoy, you have many cafés to choose from in the Marijin Dvor neighbourhood.
A few cafés in Marijin Dvor I love are:
- Torte i to
- Spazio Gourmet
- Le.Sal
The area is perfect for grabbing lunch, too, in case you didn't have a big breakfast with man offices all around.
A few of my favourite lunch spots:
- Pizza at Margherita
- Pita at Buregzinica Zigo
- Sandwiches at Spazio Gourmet
Back to the city: Bosnian designer shopping & more culture
After lunch, head back to the old town for a little shopping. Some amazing Bosnian designers opened their shops in the city, and what better souvenir than something you can actually wear every day?
Make sure to stop by:
- Werkstatt for unique brass jewellry
- Lines of Intent for high quality suits for women
- Royal with Cheese for Bosnian street wear
- Bosnian Kingdom for street wear with Bosnian designs
- Samusa for jewellry with traditional Bosnian motifs
- Bazerdzan for a medley of Bosnian designer pieces
- Zanat for Bosnian wood-carving art
Time for a coffee break at Sevdah Art House. The café serves traditional Bosnian coffee (learn how to drink it here) and sweets. If you have even more of a sweet tooth, stop by Baklava Dućan in the heart of the city for traditional Sarajevo baklava. Both are, by the way, stops on the city tour my husband and I created for our travel agency .Cheyf –plus, when you book it, you'll learn how to drink Bosnian coffee (and it's also perfect for a rainy day!)
If you're in the mood for some more culture, your next stop is Vijecnica, the city hall of Sarajevo. Exhibition space, pseudo-moorish architecture and museum in one. Oh, and the mayor also resides here. Plan around two hours to walk through all the roooms and exhibitions.
A traditional Bosnian dinner & drinks
Even in the rain, the old town can be kind of romantic, especially if you're sitting in a cosy Bosnian restaurant, looking out. Inat Kuća right next to the city hall is decorated with antiques and has a proper, local flair. Nanina Kuhinja looks like you're sitting in grandma's living room. And both of them serve traditional dishes. Eat Klepe in Nanina Kuhinja, a shared platter with different stuffed vegetables in Inat Kuća. Or book a table at my personal favourite: Dveri. For me, this is the cosiest restaurant in Sarajevo. But reservations are a must, they only have a couple of tables.
Since today is an indoor day, close it off with some bar hopping. Višegrad or Barhana are the places you want to visit for that sip of infamous Bosnian rakija. Or maybe you want to try a rakija cocktail? Only last week, my husband Nermin and I had drinks in Black Sheepfor the first time, a new cocktail bar that serves the classics and cocktails with a balkan twist. Big recommendation!
You might also light to take a look at the National Theatre’s programme. Tickets are often available at short notice, starting from just 10 EUR. Unfortunately, plays and operas aren’t subtitled, but the building alone is well worth a visit – and besides, it’s quite an experience to go to the theatre in a different language.
So schnell geht sogar ein Regentag in Sarajevo zu Ende! Und für hoffentlich sonnigeres Wetter findest du hier meine besten Day Trips from Sarajevo, die schönsten Wanderungen oder meinen Reiseplan für drei Tage in der bosnischen Haupstadt.
More things to do on a rainy day
If the bad weather continues or you’d like to try some of my other suggestions, here are a few more museums and activities for you.
Museums I recommend
- Tunnel of Hope
- War Childhood Museum
- Planet Sarajevo
- VRX Museum about the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand
- Svrzo's House
Other activities
- Eat your way through Sarajevo witha food tour
- Visit the food market Trznica (there's also a great restaurant above)
- Learn more about the story of Sarajevo with a city tour (including a coffee break inside)
- Take the cable car up Trebević for a coffee with a view of the city in the cablecar station
As you can see, there are plenty of things to do on a rainy day in Sarajevo. And if a bit of drizzle doesn’t put you off, just pop an umbrella and a rain jacket in your bag and head off anyway through the narrow streets of Baščaršija. You can always pop into a café or one of the countless restaurants if you need to dry off.
Now you’re well prepared for a rainy day in Sarajevo. Looking for more inspiration? Here you’ll find local insider tips for Sarajevo or the best cafés.
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